Magnetic microstructures for magnetic resonance imaging

US10350312B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services · US
• Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce · US

Inventors

• Gary Zabow · Boulder, US
• Stephen Dodd · Rockville, US
• Alan Koretsky · Bethesda, US
• John Moreland · Louisville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 12, 2015
• Grant date: Jul 16, 2019
• Expiry date: Jun 12, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/5607
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to magnetic contrast structures for magnetic resonance imaging, and methods of their use. The contrast structures include magnetic materials arranged as a pair of disk-shaped magnetic components with a space between a circular surface of each disk shape, or a tubular magnetic structure, a substantially cylindrical magnetic structure, a substantially spherical shell-formed magnetic structure, or a substantially ellipsoidal shell-formed structure, each defining a hollow region therein. The space and/or hollow region in the contrast structure creates a spatially extended region contained within a near-field region of the contrast structure over which an applied magnetic field results in a homogeneous field, such that nuclear magnetic moments of a second material when arranged within the spatially extended region precess at a characteristic Larmor frequency, whereby the contrast structure is adapted to emit a characteristic magnetic resonance signal of the magnetic material.